By Philip Mwakio
Marine experts have published scientific evidence of the sea level rising along the coast.
This comes a week after revelations on the possibility of Mombasa Island sinking.
However, experts drawn from the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research (KMFRI) maintained that although the rise is causing land loss, the island would not sink in the next 100 years.
“Rise of sea levels by only a few tens of centimetres could result in loss of land due to erosion and inundation of low lying coastal areas, salt water into coastal ecosystems and into ground water systems, and loss of terrestrial and marine biodiversity.
This may have wide economic, cultural and ecological repercussions,” said KMFRI Research Scientist and Physical Oceanographer Charles Magori.
trend
Speaking at the KMFRI headquarters at Mkomani, Mombasa on Thursday, Dr Magori said that 20 years of monthly sea level data observed by the Mombasa gauge station discloses a rising trend of about two millimeters per year.
The station is located at the Liwatoni jetty at the Port of Mombasa.
“This is consistent with projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,” he said.
Magori said seasonal variations in sea levels occur with maximum values usually observed in the period of April-May and October, with the lowest sea level occurring in February and in the period of July-August.
He said the variations are attributable to changes in atmospheric pressure as well the monsoon wind regimes.
Magori added the inter annual variation in sea levels are also largely attributed to thermal expansion of the ocean due to global warming and localised effects from salt variations.
time frame
During a media briefing held on the sidelines of a Kwale Climate Change Hearing Workshop, Dr Wilbur Ottichilo, MP and an expert in the study, said Mombasa island will be no more in 50 years’ time due to rising sea levels.
